The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to restrict traffic to one lane on the Kentucky Route 56/Illinois Route 13 Ohio River Bridge at Shawneetown starting Monday, April 1.

The lane restriction is to allow a contract inspection team to use a “snooper” truck and climbers to conduct a detailed inspection of the bridge structure, according to a release from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Motorists should be prepared to encounter one lane traffic with alternating flow controlled by flaggers between about 8 a.m. and about 4 p.m., each weekday. Climbers may be working on the bridge until dark without lane restrictions.

Appropriate caution is required in the work zone where equipment, flaggers and maintenance personnel will be on the bridge deck in close proximity to traffic flow.

All bridges get a detailed inspection every two years. Long-span bridges over rivers and lakes get additional walk-through inspections annually.

The inspection of the Shawneetown Bridge is expected to take about a week to complete, weather permitting.

About 3,800 vehicles cross the bridge in an average day.

The 3,200 ft. structure opened to traffic in 1956, maintaining a historic transportation link that started with ferry service at the site as early as 1802.

The Shawneetown Bridge is at Ohio River navigation mile point 858.1.

Timely traffic advisories for the 11 counties of KYTC Highway District 2 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict2.